Original Airdate: 3 January 2010 Written by: Nick Dear Directed by: Ashley Pearce Recurring cast: George Based on:Three Act Tragedy
Tropes:
Adaptation Deviation: The accident Oliver Manders is asked to fabricate is changed from a car accident to a motorcycle accident.
Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: The removal of Mr. Satterthwaite from the adaptation causes some slight changes to the progress of the investigation, which causes the eventual reveal to make less sense. In the books, Mr. Satterthwaite is the one who baits Poirot into being involved in the case (the others were quite reluctant to have him interfere), while in the series, he's enlisted by Sir Charles. The only problem? Sir Charles is the murderer! Why would he ask for Poirot's help?
Adaptational Attractiveness: Muriel Wills is described as "tall and thin, with a receding chin and very badly waved fair hair''. In the adaptation she's played by the by-no-means-unattractive Kate Ashfield.
Adaptational Friendship: In the original novel, Poirot and Sir Charles were more acquaintances than anything. In the adaptation, they're good friends, which ends up making The Summation even more tragic.
Adapted Out: The novel was a team-up between Poirot and Mr Satterthwaite, one of Christie's other detectives; the TV adaptation does not have Mr Satterthwaite in it, thus—since he's in the novel precisely because he's a consummate aesthete and theatre connoisseur, and therefore has a very specific set of reactions to Sir Charles' theatrics—subtly changing the entire tone of the investigation, and indeed the overall story.
Chiaroscuro: Used for effect in the adaptation. For example, in scenes when a victim dies or when one plots a murder, the iris will close in on a person's head, or sometimes the heads of two people as well.
Closeup on Head: Used in the adaptation to draw attention to the victims as well as important events.
Composite Character: In an odd example, Poirot himself. Since Mr Satterthwaite was Adapted Out, Poirot takes on traits of both himself from the novel and Mr Satterthwaite as far as the adaptation is concerned.
Death by Adaptation: Miss Milray's mother was alive in the novel and was interviewed by Sir Charles and Egg. In the adaptation, she's been dead for a month by the time they go and look for her.
"Eureka!" Moment: Poirot gets his when Egg looks at the cards he's playing with, and points out that she'd become Mrs Mugg once she marries Sir Charles (since his real name is Charles Mugg).
Here We Go Again!: Oliver Manders says this when Lady Mary Lytton-Gore says she saw no one go through the secret passage.
Sir Charles: Love. Is that so much to ask? Poirot: It's not enough to kill three people for.
Land, Sea, Sky: Discussed. Poirot and Dr Strange discuss Sir Charles' hobbies in this manner:
Dr Bartholomew Strange: Before sailing it was racing cars, remember? Poirot:Oui, d'accord. Dr Strange: What next, hot-air balloons?
Only Known by Their Nickname: Hermione "Egg" Lytton-Gore is only called by her nickname throughout the adaptation.
Serial Killings, Specific Target: Like The ABC Murders, the story features a murderer deliberately targeting other people to conceal their true motivations for the one murder that actually mattered to them.
Spared by the Adaptation: Robin Babbington was killed in India in the novel, but is mentioned to have "grown his hair and joined an ashram" in the adaptation.
Suddenly Shouting: Poirot does this towards the end of The Summation, angered that Sir Charles destroyed their friendship by killing three people and deceiving him throughout the investigation.
Sir Charles: God damn you. What have you done? Poirot: WHAT HAVE I DONE? IT IS YOU WHO HAVE DECEIVED ME! These last two days, they have not been genial. You are deranged, monsieur. Deranged.
Summation Gathering: Unlike in the novel, Poirot gathers the people who attended both parties and lays out the facts of the case to them, using a dress rehearsal of Muriel Wills' play as a pretext.
Title Drop: Shortly before the The Summation, viewers are treated to a film title card of 'A Tragedy in Three Acts'. The title is also dropped in the final conversation between Poirot and Muriel Wills (which was between Poirot and Mr Satterthwaite in the original).
We Used to Be Friends: Poirot and Sir Charles Cartwright used to be longtime friends, but after investigating one murder case after another, Poirot finds out that Sir Charles murdered three people so that he could marry Egg. By the end, Poirot is left reeling after realizing that Cartwright's first victim could have easily been Poirot himself.
